When Swearin’, a fuzzy little bundle of noise fronted by PS Eliot’s Allison Crutchfield and Kyle Gilbride of Big Soda, first landed a couple of years ago their sound was a neat offshoot of their previous work, knitting together influences from slacker punk and the loud-soft dynamics of ‘90s indie-rock.
On ‘Surfing Strange’, the follow-up to their self-titled 12”, Crutchfield, Gilbride, bassist Keith Spencer and drummer Jeff Bolt have slowed the pace and looked inwards for inspiration, producing a record that stands as the disaffected older sibling of their earlier material.
Gilbride and Spencer have stepped up to share vocal duties more readily with Crutchfield on this release and their increased involvement has added a new twist to the band’s sound, with some of the record’s most effective moments belonging to them.
Spencer is highlighted on Melanoma, while Mermaid is a crushing track that follows a breezy opening from Dust In The Gold Sack and Watered Down. Crutchfield, meanwhile, is quietly emotive on Loretta’s Flowers.
There’s undoubtedly a sag around the record’s midsection though, and while Swearin’ can do contemplative as well as many bands who make it their bread and butter, the heady hooks of their early work, and even Dust…, become conspicuous by their absence by the time the brittle harmonies of Glare Of The Sun roll around.
Still, ‘Surfing Strange’ is a fine example of both Swearin’s songwriting prowess and their ability to flit between styles. Even if the pace does sometimes slow to a crawl, this is a band that with many, many miles left on the clock.
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